The Academy courtyard was packed — students swarming the notice board, each name etched with the pressure of comparison.
I pushed through the crowd, Daigo right behind me, chewing on dried octopus like it was the last meal he'd ever have.
"There it is!" he barked, mouth full. "C'mon, c'mon…"
His finger jabbed at the list.
Class B – Rank 20: Daigo Tanaka.
His eyes lit up. "No way. I made it to B-Class?!"
"Last rank," I said, smirking.
He grinned. "Doesn't matter. Still above C."
I scanned the Class A roster. It didn't take long.
Class A – Rank 20: Katsu Joro.
Daigo clapped my back. "Hey, at least you're the worst of the best. I'm the best of the worst. Sounds like we're climbing the ladder together."
We stood there for a second, taking it in. This was no longer the beginning. We were in the middle of the race now — and the real challenge was keeping pace.
"Let's both move up before the year ends," Daigo said, voice uncharacteristically serious.
I nodded. "Deal."
---
[System Notification]
Achievement Unlocked: Class Rank Advancement – A Class
Reward: +20 Stat Points
---
Back in my room, I sat cross-legged on the floor, hands resting on my sheathed blade.
Twenty points.
I didn't hesitate.
Allocate all points to Strength?
--> Strength: A- --> A+
[Confirmed.]
My body pulsed, like a coil pulled taut and then released. Muscles tightened. Spirit energy grew denser.
Then the next prompt appeared.
---
[Power Level Estimate Updated]
System Combat Evaluation:
Standard Environment (daylight, minimal shadow): Mid Lieutenant-level
Shadow-Rich Environment (forest, dense buildings): High Lieutenant-level
Night or Deep Shadow (indoor, moonlit, underground): Low Captain-level
Note: Combat rank does not equal real battle experience. Proceed with caution.
---
Captain-level.
The words alone felt like a lie.
But I knew it wasn't enough.
Not even close.
Not for what was coming.
Even now, over a hundred years before it begins — I remember. The Thousand-Year Blood War. The chaos. The bloodshed. The Quincy.
Yhwach.
I wasn't strong enough to stop that. Not yet.
I wasn't even strong enough to hide from Aizen if he decided to turn on me today.
I had time, yes. Maybe decades.
But not enough to waste.
I stood and unsheathed my blade. Its black steel hummed quietly in the evening light, flickering as if reflecting invisible shadows.
"Kage" I said softly. "We've got a long way to go."
The blade pulsed once in acknowledgment.
No more hiding.
But still… just enough not to be noticed.